Tributes continued to pour in for Professor Chinua Achebe yesterday.
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Former governor of Lagos State, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu, said the deceased was a national treasure. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and former governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, described him as a literary giant.
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To Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Achebe was a scholar of distinction.
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Tinubu described the death of Achebe as the loss of yet another national treasure who died unfulfilled in his dream to see a better governed, fully demorcratic and united Nigeria. "Achebe's words were like the arrows of God penetrating the fortresses of our leaders and striking their hearts to do good, unfortunately not many harkened and that is why we remain stuck as a people and a country", he said.
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According to him, notwithstanding Achebe's exploits on the literary stage and his world acclaimed status, he had one regret and that is the failure of successive Nigerian leadership to birth a new country and liberate Nigerians from abject poverty and want.
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Tinubu recalled how Achebe's life and writings touched many and mentored several. "In my personal encounters with him, his simplicity, his forthrightness and his engaging personality struck me. Achebe and his writings were one and the same. He breathed what he preached. Though he elicits different reactions from different people, Achebe's love for his people and his patriotism was unquestionable. His devotion to creating a better society was resolute".